U.S. Department of Education September 2003
2003-2004 No Child Left Behind—Blue Ribbon Schools Program
Cover Sheet
Name of Principal Mrs. Melinda Young
(Specify: Ms., Miss, Mrs., Dr., Mr., Other) (As it should appear in the official records)
Official School Name Wells Elementary School
(As it should appear in the official records)
School Mailing Address 408 North Fourth Street ______
(If address is P.O. Box, also include street address)
Steubenville Ohio 43952-1812______
City State Zip Code+4 (9 digits total)
Tel. ( 740 ) 282-1651 Fax ( 740 ) 283-8937
Website/URL http://steubenville.k12.oh.us E-mail
I have reviewed the information in this application, including the eligibility requirements on page 2, and certify that to the best of my knowledge all information is accurate.
Date______
(Principal’s Signature)
Name of Superintendent* Mr. Richard Ranallo
(Specify: Ms., Miss, Mrs., Dr., Mr., Other)
District Name Steubenville City Schools Tel. ( 740 ) 283-3767
I have reviewed the information in this application, including the eligibility requirements on page 2, and certify that to the best of my knowledge it is accurate.
Date______(Superintendent’s Signature)
Name of School Board
President/Chairperson Mr. William Hendricks
(Specify: Ms., Miss, Mrs., Dr., Mr., Other)
I have reviewed the information in this package, including the eligibility requirements on page 2, and certify that to the best of my knowledge it is accurate.
Date______
(School Board President’s/Chairperson’s Signature)
*Private Schools: If the information requested is not applicable, write N/A in the space.
PART I ELIGIBILITY CERTIFICATION
[Include this page in the school’s application as page 2.]
The signatures on the first page of this application certify that each of the statements below concerning the school's eligibility and compliance with U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights (OCR) requirements is true and correct.
1. The school has some configuration that includes grades K-12. (Schools with one principal, even K-12 schools, must apply as an entire school.)
2. The school has not been in school improvement status or been identified by the state as "persistently dangerous" within the last two years. To meet final eligibility, the school must meet the state’s adequate yearly progress requirement in the 2003-2004 school year.
3. If the school includes grades 7 or higher, it has foreign language as a part of its core curriculum.
4. The school has been in existence for five full years, that is, from at least September 1998.
5. The nominated school or district is not refusing the OCR access to information necessary to investigate a civil rights complaint or to conduct a districtwide compliance review.
6. The OCR has not issued a violation letter of findings to the school district concluding that the nominated school or the district as a whole has violated one or more of the civil rights statutes. A violation letter of findings will not be considered outstanding if the OCR has accepted a corrective action plan from the district to remedy the violation.
7. The U.S. Department of Justice does not have a pending suit alleging that the nominated school, or the school district as a whole, has violated one or more of the civil rights statutes or the Constitution's equal protection clause.
8. There are no findings of violations of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act in a U.S. Department of Education monitoring report that apply to the school or school district in question; or if there are such findings, the state or district has corrected, or agreed to correct, the findings.
PART II DEMOGRAPHIC DATA
All data are the most recent year available.
DISTRICT (Questions 12 not applicable to private schools)
1. Number of schools in the district: __6___ Elementary schools
__1___ Middle schools
_____ Junior high schools
__1___ High schools
_____ Other (Briefly explain)
__8___ TOTAL
2. District Per Pupil Expenditure: __$6,382.______
Average State Per Pupil Expenditure: __$8,441.___ __
SCHOOL (To be completed by all schools)
3. Category that best describes the area where the school is located:
[ ] Urban or large central city
[ ] Suburban school with characteristics typical of an urban area
[ ] Suburban
[ x ] Small city or town in a rural area
[ ] Rural
4. 4 Number of years the principal has been in her/his position at this school.
If fewer than three years, how long was the previous principal at this school?
5. Number of students enrolled at each grade level or its equivalent in applying school:
Grade / # of Males / # of Females / Grade Total / Grade / # of Males / # of Females / Grade TotalK / 9 / 10 / 19 / 7
1 / 12 / 14 / 26 / 8
2 / 11 / 7 / 18 / 9
3 / 10 / 14 / 24 / 10
4 / 9 / 16 / 25 / 11
5 / 31 / 16 / 47 / 12
6 / Other
TOTAL STUDENTS IN THE APPLYING SCHOOL ® / 159
6. Racial/ethnic composition of 70.7 % White
the students in the school: 29.3 % Black or African American
0 % Hispanic or Latino
0 % Asian/Pacific Islander
0 % American Indian/Alaskan Native
100% Total
7. Student turnover, or mobility rate, during the past year: ____0____%
(This rate includes the total number of students who transferred to or from different schools between October 1 and the end of the school year, divided by the total number of students in the school as of October 1, multiplied by 100.)
(1) / Number of students who transferred to the school after October 1 until the end of the year. / 0(2) / Number of students who transferred from the school after October 1 until the end of the year. / 0
(3) / Subtotal of all transferred students [sum of rows (1) and (2)] / 0
(4) / Total number of students in the school as of October 1 / 159
(5) / Subtotal in row (3) divided by total in row (4) / 0
(6) / Amount in row (5) multiplied by 100 / 0
8. Limited English Proficient students in the school: ___0____%
___0____Total Number Limited English Proficient
Number of languages represented: ___0_____
Specify languages:
9. Students eligible for free/reduced-priced meals: ___49.1_____%
___78_____Total Number Students Who Qualify
If this method does not produce a reasonably accurate estimate of the percentage of students from lowincome families or the school does not participate in the federallysupported lunch program, specify a more accurate estimate, tell why the school chose it, and explain how it arrived at this estimate.
10. Students receiving special education services: ___7.0_____%
___11_____Total Number of Students Served
Indicate below the number of students with disabilities according to conditions designated in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
____Autism ____Orthopedic Impairment
____Deafness ____Other Health Impaired
____Deaf-Blindness __1__Specific Learning Disability
____Hearing Impairment _10__Speech or Language Impairment
____Mental Retardation ____Traumatic Brain Injury
____Multiple Disabilities ____Visual Impairment Including Blindness
11. Indicate number of fulltime and parttime staff members in each of the categories below:
Number of Staff
Full-time Part-Time
Administrator(s) __ 1______
Classroom teachers ___8______
Special resource teachers/specialists ___1______
Paraprofessionals ______1_____
Support staff ______2____
Total number __10______3_____
12. Average school student-“classroom teacher” ratio: __19.875_____
13. Show the attendance patterns of teachers and students as a percentage. The student dropout rate is defined by the state. The student drop-off rate is the difference between the number of entering students and the number of exiting students from the same cohort. (From the same cohort, subtract the number of exiting students from the number of entering students; divide that number by the number of entering students; multiply by 100 to get the percentage drop-off rate.) Briefly explain in 100 words or fewer any major discrepancy between the dropout rate and the drop-off rate. (Only middle and high schools need to supply dropout rates and only high schools need to supply drop-off rates.)
2002-2003 / 2001-2002 / 2000-2001 / 1999-2000 / 1998-1999Daily student attendance / 95.6% / 96.3% / 95.7% / 96.6% / 96.7%
Daily teacher attendance / **95.2% / 96.9% / **91.6% / 94.8% / 92.7%
Teacher turnover rate / 0% / 0% / *14% / 0% / 0%
Student dropout rate
Student drop-off rate
*Parental leave for one teacher
**Teacher Retirement
PART III – SUMMARY
Wells Parental School of Choice, in Steubenville, Ohio, was created in 1989 in answer to requests by parents and the community for curriculum specialization. The emphasis at Wells focuses on technology and fine arts.
When originally formed, students were selected to attend Wells using the lottery system. Today, the program includes grades K-5, and selection methods have remained the same. (Kindergarten was added 2003-2004 school year) Students who attend Wells receive 150 minutes of computer instruction per week in the Tech Lab in addition to the basic curriculum. All students are involved in a fine arts program which includes computer design, art, music, dance, and drama.
The student population at Wells School is very diverse. Since students are selected through the lottery system, the enrollment is representative of the entire school district. The population at Wells is 37.4% minority, 37.4% qualify for free and reduced lunch, 20% come from homes where at least one parent has a college degree and 20% come from homes where at least one parent has not graduated from high school. 100% of the families that send their children to Wells School have a vision and a dream for their children.
The focus of learning at Wells School is a learner-centered approach. Students are encouraged to be independent thinkers and decision-makers. Students often work on group projects using cooperative learning techniques, complete independent studies above or below grade level, and use technology to supplement instruction.
Emphasis is placed on a strong basic skills curriculum. The curriculum is designed around the Ohio Models and includes strands from the Ohio Proficiency Test. Once students have met the minimum standards for a grade, they are taken beyond this level through group projects and independent studies. Technology is utilized as a tool to expand the curriculum and give students methods to enrich the curriculum on each level. The extensive fine arts program at Wells gives students another dimension to work with. Communication skills, social skills, public speaking, integration of skills and methods, and self-expression are all developed and polished through this program. Students take part in distance learning programs through their partnership with Steubenville High School, located a block away from Wells.
Vision
The Wells Parental School of Choice community believes that every child can learn, but that we learn in different ways and at different rates. This belief is the foundation of our learning practice and is reflected in all of our education decisions. Knowing, using, and practicing the arts disciplines and technology domains are fundamental to the healthy development of children’s minds and spirits. The role of our school is to prepare students to live and work in the twenty-first century and foster lifelong learning for our entire community.
Mission
Reflecting the needs of society, the Wells Parental school of Choice community provides a school that empowers the students to acquire information, concepts and skills to communicate effectively in both the arts and technology. We cultivate the whole child by using arts education to gradually build many kinds of literacy while developing intuition, reasoning, imagination, and dexterity into unique forms of expression and communication. Through technological instruction the students foster independent self-actualized learning which moves the students into the twenty-first century. Wells Parental School of Choice connects technology and the arts.
PART IV – INDICATORS OF ACADEMIC SUCCESS
Clear Assessment Results
The Ohio Fourth-Grade Proficiency Tests for reading and math required scaled scores of 217 and 218, respectfully, to be proficient. A scaled score of 250 is the advanced proficient score. Beginning with the March 2002 test for reading a scaled score from 198-216 indicates a basic score. The fourth (4th) grade tests were given for the first time in March 1995.
The last three years all of the Wells fourth graders have passed the reading proficiency test. For math 97% have passed 2002-2003, 100% for 2001-2002 and 2000-2001. The goal that we are continuing to work on is increasing the percentage of students receiving advanced scores. (See attachment 1 and 2)
Assessment Data Use
In a learner-centered classroom, assessment implies multiple indicators and sources of evidence taken over time rather than a one-time, one-format method of judging skills. At Wells School, assessment involves traditional testing methods, but also interviews, survey projects, portfolios, writing journals, and checklists. We are attempting to measure significant learner performances, and eliminate the anxiety of test taking associated with standardized tests.
The formal assessments used are the Ohio Proficiency Test in grade 4 and a variety of off year testing in grades K, 1, 3 and 5. The California Achievement Test is given in grade 2. These tests assist us in working with students to master basic competency skills and meet the minimum standards. They are good benchmarks for our students and parents. These tests give the teachers a starting point of instruction. Results are studied to identify weak skill areas in curricular standards. Changes are made in the curriculum according to need.
The vision of Wells School states that “we believe that every child can learn, but, that they learn in different ways and at different rates” is reinforced through the type of assessment completed at each grade level. Teachers are striving to assess what students have mastered and how they are using that information to be successful in completing assignments, group projects, and in the ways they communicate with each other.
Assessment is a very necessary component of the total learning process. We use all types of assessment results to move students through the curriculum and to provide each child with the proper reinforcement.